


Sneak

by onlyasmallfish



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Eve, Christmas fic, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9051145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyasmallfish/pseuds/onlyasmallfish
Summary: Christmas eve means cookie dough and kisses.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Christmas present to my friend LegolasTheLembas on FF.net. I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you like it!

Cold wind blew about in the street, completely oblivious to the warmth and merriment glowing in every face and shop window. Gold light and joyful laughter spilled into the air from all sides, creating a blanket of happiness that would melt even the most frigid of hearts. Determined to bring ice, the wind swept past a young couple holding hands beneath a street lamp; a mother being tugged into a store by her eager son; an elderly man selling handmade trinkets by the crosswalk, but none were swayed by the cold. It continued swirling and blustering through the Christmas air until it reached a young man stepping out into the street from within the warm confines of a public bus.

Aragorn shivered as the wind hit him, blowing his hair up into a cloud of dark curls about his head as he hastily stepped onto the sidewalk, his hands bunching up his coat around him. He buried his face into the folds of his woolen scarf, protecting his reddening cheeks from the harsh air as he began to walk down the snow-paved street.

"Merry Christmas!" someone called, their voice ringing throughout the street like the bells on the doors of shops. A small boy dashed down the street, laughing as he was chased by a troupe of snowsuit-clad band of other children. Shrieking with mirth, the boy ran headlong into Aragorn's side, sending him tumbling slightly to the left.

"Sorry, mister!" the boy cried, glancing back over his shoulder as he continued to barrel down the street. Aragorn smiled fondly as the other children followed the first, giggling and tumbling through the snow.

"I'm sorry about that," a woman said, coming up beside him, her voice heavy with a beautiful accent and an apologetic look on her face. "He's always rowdy on Christmas eve."

"Don't worry about it," Aragorn laughed, pushing some of his hair behind his ear. "It's so nice to see happy children."

"Yes, it is," she said, giving him a cheerful smile. "Merry Christmas sir." The woman nodded at him, her coiled hair swirling about her as she made to follow her son.

"Merry Christmas," Aragorn replied, bowing his head a little in response and turning away as she trekked off through the snow. Aragorn could hear her scolding him faintly as he began to walk down the street in the opposite direction, this time with the wind against his back. The long ends of his coat blew about between his legs, sending the paper bags he had hooked around his arm into a bouncing frenzy. He reached his other hand around to secure them, throwing his head up to get the hair out of his face.

A plume of breath steamed out of his mouth in a wispy cloud, dissipating into nothingness above him as he looked about at the city around him. Fairy lights embellished every shop doorway and stylized Christmas trees stood in the corners of every window display. Garlands of fake holly and plastic spruce branches declared the promise of green in the coming year, but for now, they simply meant Christmas.

Beaming unabashedly at the world around him, Aragorn soaked up the beauty that surrounded every footstep he took, reveling in the magic and simplicity of it all. Even after twenty-six years of life, the beauty of Christmastime never failed to astound him. He knew many who never looked twice at holiday decorations, but he always paused to admire how lights could capture the purity of happiness.

Today, however, he didn't linger to gaze around or to take photographs. Instead he pushed through the snow with his head bowed, intent on making it to his destination. Moving past clusters of merry-makers and chestnut stands, he made his way down the long streets of the city, the snow crunching beneath his boots. The paper shopping bags hooked around his arm bumped against each other, the sound magnified as he turned down a quieter street, his back turned to the bustle of the main road.

He let out a long breath that fell into a sigh, lifting his chin to look up at the night sky, tinted purple by the light pollution of the city. A stray snowflake or two drifted past his eyes, the street lamps alighting them into shimmers of magic as they spun away into mist. The quiet street swallowed him in its perfect peacefulness and he felt the urge to simply stop and remain there forever, but the pull to get home was stronger.

Before long, he was pushing in the low gate of his house, its dark metal spires glistening with partially melted snow. He looked up at the building in front of him, smiling softly as he gazed at the bunches of yew and berries held together by string lights, making them shimmer like jewels. A warm light spilled though the honey colored curtains that hung in the front window, hiding the contents of the secret little house from the world.

Aragorn's smile grew wider as he saw a faint shadow pass by the curtain, a reminder of what awaited him beyond the door. The flicker of life within the small house spurred him forwards and he quickly made for the stairs, passing beneath a bunch of holly hanging at the top of the steps. He rearranged the bags in his arms to free his hand, using it to very quietly turn the doorknob.

With a measure of stealth, he pushed the door inwards and stepped into the warm little house. The smell of baking caught him immediately and brought the hinting of taste to his tongue, something he became eager for more of.

A playfully deceptive grin on his face, he set down his bags by the door and closed it behind himself with a gentle click. He could hear the familiar sound of an acoustic guitar and timed bells coming from an unknown speaker playing indie Christmas music as he removed his coat and boots, trying to make as little noise as possible. Once he had shed his cold outer layer of clothing and was simply left in his casual suit and socked feet, he stepped precariously over the pile of shoes in the doorway and tip toed across the hall to the kitchen. He peeked into the small room and felt his heart soar a little at what he saw.

Barefoot and with his hair pulled up into the messiest bun possible, Legolas stood with his back to the door, swinging his hips slightly in tune to music radiating through the kitchen. Clad only in grey underwear and a pink dress shirt that Aragorn recognized as his own, Legolas was covered in flour and smears of whatever he was making. His arms moved in front of him in a circular motion as he stirred a large bowl of what appeared to be batter, humming happily as he did so.

Aragorn creeped silently around the corner of the kitchen door and made his way towards his oblivious boyfriend, his hands poised and ready to pounce. As he inched towards the shorter of the two, Legolas reached forward to grab a bag of chocolate chips which he dumped a hefty amount of into the bowl. Just as he was about to set them down, Aragorn's hands seized him around the middle and he let out a shriek that could have been heard three streets over. The bag of chocolate flew out of his grasp and landed with a crash next to the toaster, the majority of the remaining contents spilling over the already destroyed counter.

"Jesus Christ!" Legolas cried, placing a flour-coated hand over his heart as Aragorn let out a roaring laugh, pulling him into a tight hug from behind.

"I'm certainly not Jesus," Aragorn laughed, placing a kiss on the side of Legolas' cheek. Legolas smiled at the joke, but he wasn't finished with his assailant. Twisting around in Aragorn's embrace, he moved to smack the taller man harshly on the arm, cursing him as he laughed and writhed in an attempt to get away.

"Get off!" he giggled, trying to step on Aragorn's feet in some form of defense strategy. But he was no match for Aragorn who, having frequented the gym for years, was much stronger than him. Without hesitation, Aragorn lifted Legolas off the ground and pulled him away from the counter, laughing heartily as Legolas' legs kicked in the air fervently.

"Put me down!" Legolas cried, his chest beginning to ache from all the laughter. Aragorn grinned slyly and gave Legolas a tight squeeze.

"If you insist," he teased. He lifted Legolas up higher for a brief moment before bringing him swooshing down and dropping him onto the floor. Legolas tried to get up, but before he could, Aragorn flipped him over onto his back and kneeled over him, hands on either side of his head, his tie falling onto Legolas' chest.

"That's not what I meant!" Legolas scolded, though it wasn't very effective due to the iridescent beam that shone on his face.

"You told me to put you down," Aragorn replied with a smirk. "You didn't specify how." Legolas opened his mouth to retort but was swiftly cut off by Aragorn kissing him eagerly. He smiled as he pushed back, his hands sliding up the sides of Aragorn's arms and along his upper back. His hands found the nape of Aragorn's neck where they pushed down his high collar and slipped up into his hair.

Aragorn pulled away after a moment or two and smiled lovingly down at Legolas, who's hair was falling all around him in a shimmering halo.

"Hi," Aragorn said, his eyes shining and his cheeks still pink from the cold.

"Hi," Legolas returned with a giggle, his hands resting on Aragorn's arms. They looked at each other for a moment more before Legolas slid out from underneath Aragorn and sat up on his haunches, pushing the other to do the same. He leaned forward and pulled Aragorn into another kiss, the large shirt hanging off him in such a fashion that it defied its own purpose. With their lips still connected, Legolas moved forward to seat himself in Aragorn's lap, wrapping his legs around the other's middle and hanging his arms over his shoulders.

"How was work?" Legolas inquired, pulling back from the kiss and tilting his head to the side. Aragorn's hands found Legolas waist and curled around it, pulling the smaller man towards him as he placed light kisses to his collarbone.

"Mmm, same as usual," he said offhandedly, far more interested in the lovely vanilla smell that was imprinted on Legolas' skin. "You smell really nice, what were you making?"

"Cookies, you big doofus," Legolas said, chuckling as Aragorn continued to adorn his chest with many peppered kisses. "Speaking of which, I've got to check the oven."

Legolas unhooked one leg from Aragorn's waist and scooted backward until he was back on the floor. Watching Aragorn warily, he got to his feet and hastily made for the oven. Glancing back over his shoulder at Aragorn for a brief moment, he grinned as he pulled open the oven door, peering in at the tray of baking sweets.

Something bouncy came on the radio, filling the momentarily quiet kitchen with the cheerful sound of bells and digitally generated sound. Aragorn grinned as he watched Legolas from behind, an idea popping into his head while he admired his partner's backside.

Oblivious to Aragorn's wandering gaze, not that he would have minded anyway, Legolas inspected some of the more questionable cookies. Once Legolas was satisfied with what he saw, he closed the oven door again and turned back to Aragorn. He was getting ready to say something when he was practically doubled over backwards by the sheer force of Aragorn's embrace. Thinking it was a hug, he laughed and leaned forward into Aragorn's chest, but he was caught off guard slightly when Aragorn started to move his feet.

"What're you doing?" Legolas asked, his voice a peal of joy as he tried to find his footing. But Aragorn was already on the move, his hands on Legolas' waist and his hips swaying ridiculously. "I don't know what's happening!" Legolas cried, making Aragorn laugh loudly.

"I'm dancing with you!" he laughed back. Legolas looked up at Aragorn as realization passed over his face, making him smile all the wider.

"Oh!"

Aragorn laughed again and leaned down to press a happy kiss to Legolas' batter-smeared face, moving their hips back and forth to the terribly chintzy Christmas song that twirled around them. But the awful music didn't put even a damper on their mood, especially not Aragorn's. He was happy, he was home and he had the love of his life in his arms.

And best of all, it was Christmas.

 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find LegolasTheLembas' lovely works here:
> 
> https://m.fanfiction.net/u/8579332/LegolasTheLembas


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